The First Must Be Last

Sitting down, he called the Twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last and servant of all.”

(Mark 9:35)

Meditation

Since my youth, I’ve always liked being first or the best at something. I was forty-four years old when I came to the cross of Christ but my desire to be first didn’t end then and there. I began to throw myself at good works to show everyone I was a different person. Without admitting it to myself, I was trying to be the most important person in a church of thousands. I volunteered at church at every chance and people’s praises were sustaining me…I thought.

I heard about one of the members of that church who wanted to be an elder. However, he wasn’t one who worked will with others. Even when he wasn’t in charge of a project, he would become very bossy and argumentative if things didn’t go the way he wanted them to. His idea of being an elder was that it was a prestigious position where he could demand respect. People would have to do what he said because he was in a position of authority. Thankfully, the congregation, who voted for their elders, turned him away. He left that church shortly thereafter.

I learned from that experience being the first among my peers, someone to be looked up to, wasn’t being a follower of Jesus Christ. My desire to serve was more about fulfilling my need to be accepted rather than a sincere desire to do the work of the kingdom of God. Jesus came to be a servant to all, even though his is the FIRST. It wasn’t wrong for me to want to serve but my motives were all wrong and very selfish. Now I understand the need to look to the example given by Jesus when he walked among us. Knowing he would have to bear the sins of all on the cross he still healed the sick, gave sight to the blind and raised the dead.

He could have come as a conquering king, demanding to be worshiped. He would have been justified in doing so. He would have been justified in not coming at all. The human race didn’t deserve him when he came, and we don’t deserve now. He is the creator of the universe and yet he washed the feet of twelve fallible men. One would betray him and eleven would desert him. He is the head of the Church, but he was the Church’s first servant. In what ways are we serving each other and the unsaved people around us?

Prayer Time

Father God, you offer us all we need. You give us the breath in our lungs. You have given us our talents and abilities, allowing us to make our way through life. You have also given us a Savior who will never leave us or forsake us. He knowingly and willingly came to serve the very people he created and who would torture and kill him. Take away the ambitions from us that make us want to be in control. Show us how to serve in a way that is pleasing to you and is uplifting to others. Take our egos that need to be stroked and replace them with a true love for those who need our service. Remind us that we are rewarded for our service in eternity. Never let us demand or desire acclamation for anything we do for your Church. We thank you for our Lord Jesus Christ, for his love and service to all mankind, the personification of faithfulness and justice. Father, we love you, we love Jesus and we freely give ourselves over to you. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen!